To coincide with the Irish Open, a series of great local heritage events, walks, music and exhibitions are planned for next week in Clonmany’s Market House:
Yes, the Irish Open Golf is at Ballyliffin; it’ll be a five day wonder and we’ll be clearing up until the end of July! But how did we get here?
A series of heritage events and exhibitions at the Market House in Clonmany Square(pictured above), from July 4th to 8th hopes to explain some of this and to call attention to other aspects of the life of Ballyliffin, Clonmany and Inishowen as a whole, now and in the past.
These will be open throughout the five days and have been organised by the Straid Church Conservation Group (www.stcolumbasstraid.com).
There will be guided heritage walks from the Market House each day at 11am and 2pm: to Straid Church; along the Binnion Road; and Round the Cross (Clonmany Village).
‘Clonmany Heritage Centre’ will be begin at 7.00pm on Wednesday with the opening of an Art Exhibition, after which, early members of Ballyliffin Golf Club will tell of its origin and development. At 8.30 there will be the first of two concerts (the second on Friday) by the Inishowen Traditional Music Project (www.inishowenmusic.ie).
This, comprising young and old musicians from the peninsula, seeks to recover old music and to make it exciting and relevant to the way we live now.
Thursday at 7.30 sees a showing of the locally produced DVD of the life and legacy of the Shannachie, Charles McGlinchey, whose reminiscences, ordered and commented upon by the great playwright, Brian Friel, will be available for sale, with other books throughout the five days. The producers of the DVD will be on hand to answer questions. Thursday also features a conversation about how the Clonmany Festival, the area’s biggest attraction (before the golf!) began.
Friday is all about Music: first, at 7.30pm, there will be a talk about the still vibrant song and singing tradition of Inishowen. Given by one of Ireland’s leading authorities, John Moulden, it will survey how the traditions of the past have been saved to be newly presented by The Inishowen Song Project of the Irish Traditional Music Archive (www.itma.ie) and illustrate the way in which singing still cements families and communities. This will be followed at 8.30pm by a second opportunity to experience Inishowen’s unique musical tradition when the Inishowen Traditional Music Project give a second concert.
A pop-up museum will be opened at 2.30pm on Saturday. Local people will display items of historical and cultural interest and, at 7.30 there will be an opportunity to discuss their importance.
The Art and other Exhibitions will close at 7.00pm on Sunday.
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